Two-part video from Wu-Tang’s DJ Mathematics, directed by Rock Davis, for Itchy House Films.

Celebrating 20 years of Wu-Tang Clan, Noisey met up with DJ Mathematics and MC Inspectah Deck at Primavera in Barcelona to listen to some amazing Wu-Tang tales from the old days.

This track mirrors Special Ed’s flow on “I Got It Made” in many places. From The Answer, due next tuesday.

Directed By Mazi O. From Prelude To The Answer, out now. The Answer hits June 25th.

Another one from The Answer, hitting April 16th.

Math preps his next album, The Answer, with this huge posse track, hitting April 16th.

Wu-Tang DJ speaks on his follow-up LP to The Problem, entitled The Answer. Guests will include Method Man, Raekwon, Cappadonna, Ghostface Killah, GZA/Genius, Masta Killa, Redman, Ali Vegas, Bad Luck, Eyeslow, and more.
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/10/04/mathematics-new-lp-the-answer-due-jan-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2007/05/02/mathematics-the-problem-solver/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2007/05/02/mathematics-the-problem-solver/#comments Wed, 02 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/hiphop/?p=1731 [cont.]]]> Everybody knows the Rza, the Gza, ODB etc, but you might not know the man behind the turntables and the originator of the Wu-Tang logo.  Mathematics has been a part of the Wu family from the beginning, to being the studio during “Enter the 36 Chambers” to chopping it up on his own solo album, he is forever Wu.   He recently released a compilation of unreleased gems called “Mathematics Presents Wu-Tang and Friends:  The Unreleased LP” on Nature Sounds and his own “Beat Kings” DVD, so the man has been busy.   I got a chance to talk to Mathematics about his affiliation with the Wu and their humble beginnings and what he learned talked to great producers while making his DVD.  Even someone who has been down with arguably the greatest hip-hop group of all time can learn a thing or two from the greats.

HipHopSite: What up man, how are things with you?

Mathematics: Everything is good man, you know.  How’s everything with you?

Can’t complain, everything is getting back to normal after the storm.

Before we jump into it “Respect Mine” is one of my favorite 12″s from 05, just wanted to give some props…now on with the interview.

I appreciate that.

Some people know while other do not that you drew the original Wu logo, where you trained as an artist, or is it just a hobby?

I used to do a graffiti back in the day and I actually did go to school for graphic art.  A little of both really.

Which you love more Music or Art?

Music.  I love them both but I haven’t really been drawing for years.  Production is really my favorite at the moment.   I really prefer DJing over production, but sometimes I get in the mood where I want to just start cutting, but right now production is really what I love right now.

I have two different versions of “Respect Mine” one through Quewisha (your label) and one through Nature Sounds.  The compilation CD and DVD are coming out through Nature Sounds, so are you signed to them as an artist?

Basically yes.  Originally it was all done through my production company, Quewisha.   You probably have one version that I pressed up myself who was also through High Times.  That didn’t really work out and Devin started Nature Sounds and I have been dealing with him every since.

We’ve got two things to discuss, first the “Wu-Tang and Friends:  Unreleased” compilation, these are unreleased tracks that you produced correct and is in stores now?

All the tracks are my production so yeah.  It dropped February 6th.

This isn’t the first time you have dug in the vaults.  What do you have, a vault of unreleased Wu that you are hording in your hall closet?  (Laughs)

Over the years being a producer for Wu-Tang we recorded a lot of joints.  All the producers have a lot of joints whether it is True Master or 4th Disciple and I know Rza is sitting on crazy stuff that you have never heard.

So the flood didn’t destroy everything?

He lost mostly beats in the flood.

What are your thoughts on Wu-Tang dropping the new album this year on SRC?  Are you going to be a part of that project at all?

Of course, I haven’t submitted anything for that just yet.   I have a few other projects coming up soon and I’m getting my gems together for the Wu album.  I know Rza is in his element right now.  I have been hearing the stuff he has been doing so I’m just getting ready so when I come through I will definitely have some heat.

Why did you decide to put out the Unreleased CD as opposed to your follow up to the “The Problem”?

I had started working on the follow up to “The Problem” called “The Solution”.   During the time of me working on that album I had wrapped the “Beat Kings” DVD.  Sitting down with all those producers I learned a lot from doing the DVD.  My intentions were to teach up and coming producers some history of hip-hop from a producers stand point.  I wanted to give them the experience of me sitting down with all these producers, but in doing that I learned a lot myself.  So when I got done I felt my new beats were on another level after the DVD.   I had the new recordings I had for “The Solution” and thought to myself; let me get all this out of my system.  So I went to vaults, grabbed some unreleased joints and some remixes and there you have it, the unreleased LP was born.

Now the DVD is something I’m looking forward to seeing.  Break down the “Beat Kings” DVD.

It came out January 23rd and what I did as a producer myself is I interviewed other producers.  I talked to greats like Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Premier, Prince Paul, Easy Mo Bee, Rza.  Plus got a chance to talk to the up and comers like Kanye West, Just Blaze, I got up with Trackmasters…there are a lot of producer interviews on the DVD.   Basically what it is was is an educational video for the wannabe producers.  There are a lot of cats trying to produces.  You can go online and use Fruity Loops and buy these machines that will practically make the beats for you.  So it’s about schooling these young cats about what they are getting themselves into.  Giving those pointers, letting them know the dedication and hard work it takes to make as a producer in hip-hop.

So as a producer, what is your weapon of choice?

An ASR-10.

Most of the names you spoke on are east coast producers, is there a west coast version of this DVD in the works?

Oh yeah definitely.  There are a lot of producers I didn’t get a chance to talk to on the east coast and didn’t even make it out west.  Dre is one of my favorite producers of all time along with Quik and Battlecat, so yeah west coast version is in the future.

How difficult was it to get time with all those producers and what was the general feeling about the DVD as whole?

Once we got started it really started moving.   Producers I had worked with in the past were more than willing to do it and it was all love.

Do you feel that the producer is now in the forefront of the music industry?

Some.  That’s another reason I did the DVD.   A lot of producers don’t get the light that they deserve.  Everybody knows Kanye and Just Blaze, but they don’t know Ski Beats who did a lot of “Reasonable Doubt” or Mark the 45 King who has been around forever.  Easy Moe Bee did “Flava in Ya Ear” and “Warning” and people know their work, but not who they are as producers.  The longevity of these producers needs to be recognized and that’s what we did with the DVD.

We know Gza has an album coming out this year and “Cuban Linx Pt II” is supposedly coming, can you tell us anything about those projects?  Are you going to be a part of either project?

Actually I did a track with Gza and Inspektah Deck called “Mean Streets”.  The album is banging, it’s going to be a classic album.  With Dre and Rza on the boards it’s going to be crazy.

So have you heard the album, honestly?

Not in it’s entirety but I have heard a lot of it.  Everything I have heard from it makes it worth of being called “Cuban Linx II”.

What’s the rest of 07 hold for Mathematics?

I’m working on a few things.  The Wu album of course and I just started working on this soundtrack and I have a few scores coming up.  I have few artists that I’m trying to get in position and so honestly it’s just going to be a lot of work.  The DVD taught me a lot and you are going to see that reflection in my work this year.

Last Words.

Thanks for the support from the people and be on the lookout for the future Wu-Tang projects and go pick up that “Beat Kings” DVD.  You can also reach me at www.myspace.com/mathematicswutang


    Getting the entire Wu-Tang Clan together is hard. Not 9th grade high-honors geometry hard, I’m talking about, mapping out the human genome hard. Well, maybe not that hard, but let’s put it this way, you’d have a better chance acing the math section of the SAT’s than getting the original Shaolin warriors together. But then again, you’re not the legendary Wu DJ, Mathematics. Since marking his spot in Wu Tang history by creating the symbolic Wu Tang “W” logo, Mathematics has been hard at work honing his skills as a premier producer. After learning the craft from chief Wu architect, Rza, Mathematics has gone on to produce music for television shows, video game soundtracks, as well as his freshman solo effort, Love, Hell, Or Right. Armed with a bevy of soul samples, the founding fathers of the Wu, and a slew of new comers, Mathematics proves he has the perfect formula for a good album.

    The first noticeable difference between The Problem and Love, Hell, Or Right is the inclusion of every original Wu member. ODB even has a posthumous verse along side Masta Killa and U-God on the wonderfully unfocused “Break That.” The first noticeable similarity, however, is the non-Wu guest features that are littered throughout more than half of the album. These young bucks, some of which were featured on Math’s freshman album, do a formidable job carrying the weight of the album. New jack Hot Flames, delivers just that on “Can I Rise,” telling tales of hood misfortunes. Queensbridge representative Ali Vegas proves why he should have been signed to the majors’ years ago, spitting harrowing narratives and witty advice (“You wanna shine? Ya best bet is to stand in the sun”) over the eerie strings and rolling bassline of “Winta Sno.” While the newcomers play a central role in the scheme of the album, they can’t help but play second fiddle to the Wu-Gambinos.

    “Strawberries & Cream,” has Inspectah Deck, Rza and Ghosftface reminiscing about past love (making) over a syrupy soul concoction with faltering drums and sappy crooning. An untamed Method Man lets loose on “Rush,” spitting serious lines over the jocular beat: “Take it to the Source, Hip-Hop quotable of course, I’m pulling out my roots to reveal my black thought.” Cappadona even takes times from his taxi duties to make an appearance on the bonus cut, “Spot Lite.”

    Giving the lions share of the album to a group of uninitiated rhyme slingers was a gutsy decision for Mathematics, fortunately, the gamble paid off. In between the veteran verses of Staten Islands finest, the new comers, for the most part, hold their own. A deviation from the gangster-with-a-story M.O. would have proven beneficial for artists such as T-Slugz who’s dreary vocals on “Bullet Scar,” could have been replaced by a more intriguing, M.C., like for instance, Hot Flames or Ghostface. Yet, with a bevy of verses that range the scale of emotions and beats to match, The Problem should be a welcomed addition to everyone’s Wu-Tang collection.

The production instilled within Love, Hell, or Right is obviously the main focus. Mathematics wastes no time letting marvelous production explode onto the listener’s ears with the simply tremendous “Pimpology 101″ feat. Buddah Bless. Nevermind that the stylings of Buddah Bless are average at best, but it’s the way Mathematics turns a soulful sample into a sick head nodder that makes this a significant moment. At times
Mathematics resembles a gutter extraction of Kanye West. While Math not only grabs ill samples, he also rubs its nose into the granite creating a raw harder edge. Also leaking of dopeness is the Eyeslow assisted “Juscantluv”. Eyes Low’s vocals become
elevator music compared to the rumbling production mixed with a sped up sample that elevates the atmosphere of the entire song. Underrated Wu-affiliates Killah Sin and La The Darkman work it out all over the graceful “Hav Mercy” which becomes one of the few moments where the production and the emcees blend so appropriately.

However, lets not also forget the emcees that first brought Mathematics into the spotlight, the illustrious Wu-Tang Clan. “Respect Mine” oozes of pre-Iron Flag Wu Tang as Method Man rips the track to shreds and Raekwon  flexes his vernacular in a moment where Wu heads would undoubtably grin from ear to ear. The RZA shows up to bless “Da Great Siege”, as Bobby Digital’s distinctive voice mixes properly over Mathematics hard as nails production.

There are some mishaps however as tracks like “Gangsta” and “Real Talk” cannot withstand the lackluster ammuniton that the other emcees provide. On the latter Poppa Don sing songy style sounds painful over a pretty average track. “Hip Hop 101″ just sounds out of place with the rest of the album as the production just sounds out of character for Mathematics.

As Mathmatics throws his hat into the already filled to capacity arena of producers he is able to still make a name for himself. With solid production throughout “Love Hate or Right” turns out to be a welcomed CD to any fan of hip-hop’s premier beatsmiths
collection. Even though at times the emcees can’t keep up with the potent production, Mathematics still is able to make tracks that make you forgive the vocals. Therefore, with that hopefully some of the established artists will get an earful and add Mathmatics to their production credits.